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President Vladimir Putin has been organizing so many military exercises in so many parts of the Russian Federation (see EDM, March 19)—a process that has required Moscow to shift units from one area to another—that it is virtually impossible to say just where he intends to use military force next. But there is one possible clue: A recent article on the Kavkazskaya Politika website (Kavpolit.com) suggested that Moscow is preparing for a “new war” in the Caucasus against a country pursuing...

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A struggle over history books appears to be unfolding in the North Caucasus. Moscow’s envoy to the region attacked North Caucasus universities for “falsifying history” at a meeting of governors of the North Caucasus Federal District, held in the city of Stavropol on March 20, devoted to economic and educational issues (Stav.kp.ru, March 20).

The deputy head of the North Caucasus Federal District, Mikhail Vedernikov, lashed out at the higher education institutions of the region. In particular,...

Chechen special services operating under the auspices of Ramzan Kadyrov and trained by an ex-major of the Russian security services’ Alpha group, Daniil Martynov, keep expanding their activities to new areas. Martynov helped Kadyrov to rid himself of his special bodyguards from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), who were obstructing his activities in Chechnya (Moskovsky Komsomolets, December 4, 2013). The question, however, is why does this republic need its own special forces? The...

Chechen special services operating under the auspices of Ramzan Kadyrov and trained by an ex-major of the Russian security services’ Alpha group, Daniil Martynov, keep expanding their activities to new areas. Martynov helped Kadyrov to rid himself of his special bodyguards from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), who were obstructing his activities in Chechnya (Moskovsky Komsomolets, December 4, 2013). The question, however, is why does this republic need its own special forces? The...

During the past 16 years of battling militants in the North Caucasus, Russia’s security services and police have generally avoided taking prisoners among the insurgents. This tendency was recently displayed once again in an operation conducted in Makhachkala.

According to the official version of events, on March 21, police sealed off an apartment block in the Dagestani capital in which a group of militants were holed up. “A five-story residential building was surrounded by federal forces...

During the past 16 years of battling militants in the North Caucasus, Russia’s security services and police have generally avoided taking prisoners among the insurgents. This tendency was recently displayed once again in an operation conducted in Makhachkala.

According to the official version of events, on March 21, police sealed off an apartment block in the Dagestani capital in which a group of militants were holed up. “A five-story residential building was surrounded by federal forces...

On March 18, Russia marked the first anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. The extent of the celebrations in southern Russia varied dramatically, according to Kavkazsky Uzel news agency reporters who were on the scene. Twenty people gathered for celebrations in Sochi, but about 13,000 people reportedly rallied in the city of Krasnodar. The variation in the zeal of the Crimea celebrations in the North Caucasian republics was also quite substantial. About 3,000 people rallied in the city of...

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President Vladimir Putin has been organizing so many military exercises in so many parts of the Russian Federation (see EDM, March 19)—a process that has required Moscow to shift units from one area to another—that it is...

A well-known Russian expert on the North Caucasus, Konstantin Kazenin, has warned that the paramilitary groups of North Caucasus leaders may end up destabilizing the Russian Federation. According to Kazenin, several leaders from...

A well-known Russian expert on the North Caucasus, Konstantin Kazenin, has warned that the paramilitary groups of North Caucasus leaders may end up destabilizing the Russian Federation. According to Kazenin, several leaders from...

Category: North Caucasus Analysis, Military/Security, Domestic/Social, The Caucasus, North Caucasus

As the militants of the armed Islamic resistance in the North Caucasus began taking oaths of allegiance to the so-called Islamic State (see EDM, January 30), the Russian authorities began looking for ways to confront them. On...

As the militants of the armed Islamic resistance in the North Caucasus began taking oaths of allegiance to the so-called Islamic State (see EDM, January 30), the Russian authorities began looking for ways to confront them. On...